Index: wikibits.js
===================================================================
--- wikibits.js	(revision 40285)
+++ wikibits.js	(working copy)
@@ -607,17 +607,21 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	sortfn = ts_sort_caseinsensitive;
-	if (itm.match(/^\d\d[\/. -][a-zA-Z]{3}[\/. -]\d\d\d\d$/))
-		sortfn = ts_sort_date;
-	if (itm.match(/^\d\d[\/.-]\d\d[\/.-]\d\d\d\d$/))
-		sortfn = ts_sort_date;
-	if (itm.match(/^\d\d[\/.-]\d\d[\/.-]\d\d$/))
-		sortfn = ts_sort_date;
-	if (itm.match(/^[\u00a3$\u20ac]/)) // pound dollar euro
-		sortfn = ts_sort_currency;
-	if (itm.match(/^[\d.,]+\%?$/))
-		sortfn = ts_sort_numeric;
+	// determine which sorting function to use
+	// matches: D(D)-M(M)-YY(YY) or M(M)-D(D)-YY(YY)
+	     if (itm.match(/^\d{1,2}([\/\-\.\s])(?:\d{1,2}\1)?(?:\d{2}|\d{4})$/))
+		var sortfn = ts_sort_date_short;
+	// matches: D(D)-MONTHABV-YY(YY) or MONTHABV-D(D)-YY(YY) or MONTHABV D(D), YY(YY)
+	else if (itm.match(/^(?:[a-zA-Z\u00c0-\uffff]+([\/\.\-\s])\d{1,2}|\d{1,2}([\/\.\-\s])[a-zA-Z\u00c0-\uffff]+)\,?(?:\1|\2)(?:\d{2}|\d{4})$/))
+		var sortfn = ts_sort_date_long;
+	// pound dollar euro
+	else if (itm.match(/^[\u00a3$\u20ac]/))
+		var sortfn = ts_sort_currency;
+	// matches: nn.nnn or nn,nnn or nn.nnn% or nn,nnn% or nn.nnn,nnn% or nn,nnn.nnn%
+	else if (itm.match(/^[\d.,]+\%?$/))
+		var sortfn = ts_sort_numeric;
+	else
+		var sortfn = ts_sort_caseinsensitive;
 
 	var reverse = (span.getAttribute("sortdir") == 'down');
 
@@ -661,61 +665,77 @@
 	}
 	span.innerHTML = arrowHTML;
 
-	ts_alternate(table);		
+	ts_alternate(table);
 }
 
-function ts_dateToSortKey(date) {	
+function ts_dateToSortKey_short(date) {
+	// matches: D(D)-M(M)-YY(YY) or M(M)-D(D)-YY(YY)
 	// y2k notes: two digit years less than 50 are treated as 20XX, greater than 50 are treated as 19XX
-	if (date.length == 11) {
-		switch (date.substr(3,3).toLowerCase()) {
-			case "jan": var month = "01"; break;
-			case "feb": var month = "02"; break;
-			case "mar": var month = "03"; break;
-			case "apr": var month = "04"; break;
-			case "may": var month = "05"; break;
-			case "jun": var month = "06"; break;
-			case "jul": var month = "07"; break;
-			case "aug": var month = "08"; break;
-			case "sep": var month = "09"; break;
-			case "oct": var month = "10"; break;
-			case "nov": var month = "11"; break;
-			case "dec": var month = "12"; break;
-			// default: var month = "00";
-		}
-		return date.substr(7,4)+month+date.substr(0,2);
-	} else if (date.length == 10) {
-		if (ts_europeandate == false) {
-			return date.substr(6,4)+date.substr(0,2)+date.substr(3,2);
-		} else {
-			return date.substr(6,4)+date.substr(3,2)+date.substr(0,2);
-		}
-	} else if (date.length == 8) {
-		yr = date.substr(6,2);
-		if (parseInt(yr) < 50) { 
-			yr = '20'+yr; 
-		} else { 
-			yr = '19'+yr; 
-		}
-		if (ts_europeandate == true) {
-			return yr+date.substr(3,2)+date.substr(0,2);
-		} else {
-			return yr+date.substr(0,2)+date.substr(3,2);
-		}
+	if (!date) return 0;
+	date = date.replace(/[\s\/\.]/g, '-');
+	var dateParts = date.split('-');
+	switch (dateParts.length) {
+		case (3):
+			var yearLen = dateParts[2].toString().length;
+			var frst = parseInt(dateParts[0]);
+			var scnd = parseInt(dateParts[1]);
+			var year = parseInt(dateParts[2]);
+			if (yearLen == 2)
+				year += year < 50 ? 2000 : 1900;
+			if (frst < 10) frst = "0" + frst;
+			if (scnd < 10) scnd = "0" + scnd;
+			if (ts_europeandate)
+				return "".concat(year, scnd, frst);
+			else
+				return "".concat(year, frst, scnd);
+		break;
+		case (2):
+			var yearLen = dateParts[1].toString().length;
+			var frst = parseInt(dateParts[0]);
+			var year = parseInt(dateParts[1]);
+			if (yearLen == 2)
+				year += year < 50 ? 2000 : 1900;
+			if (frst < 10) frst = "0" + frst;
+			return "".concat(year, frst, "00");
+		break;
+		case (1):
+			var yearLen = dateParts[0].toString().length;
+			var year = parseInt(dateParts[0]);
+			if (yearLen == 2)
+				year += year < 50 ? 2000 : 1900;
+			return "".concat(year, "00", "00");
+		break;
 	}
-	return "00000000";
 }
 
+function ts_dateToSortKey_long(date) {
+	// matches: D(D)-MONTHABV-YY(YY) or MONTHABV-D(D)-YY(YY) or MONTHABV D(D), YY(YY)
+	// the following is valid only for the English language, and should ideally be set as a global variable in "common.js"
+	var monthStr = "janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec";
+	var monthLen = 3;
+	var monthNam = date.match(/[a-zA-Z\u00c0-\uffff]+/)[0].substr(0, monthLen).toLowerCase();
+	var monthNum = monthStr.indexOf(monthNam) / monthLen + 1;
+	date = date.replace(/,/g, '').replace(/[a-zA-Z\u00c0-\uffff]+/, monthNum);
+	return ts_dateToSortKey_short(date);
+}
+
 function ts_parseFloat(num) {
 	if (!num) return 0;
 	num = parseFloat(num.replace(/,/g, ""));
 	return (isNaN(num) ? 0 : num);
 }
 
-function ts_sort_date(a,b) {
-	var aa = ts_dateToSortKey(a[1]);
-	var bb = ts_dateToSortKey(b[1]);
-	return (aa < bb ? -1 : aa > bb ? 1 : a[2] - b[2]);
+function ts_sort_date_short(a, b) {
+        var aa = ts_dateToSortKey_short(a[1]);
+        var bb = ts_dateToSortKey_short(b[1]);
+        return (aa < bb ? -1 : aa > bb ? 1 : a[2] - b[2]);
 }
+ 
+function ts_sort_date_long(a, b) {
+        var aa = ts_dateToSortKey_long(a[1]);
+        var bb = ts_dateToSortKey_long(b[1]);
+        return (aa < bb ? -1 : aa > bb ? 1 : a[2] - b[2]);
+}
 
 function ts_sort_currency(a,b) {
 	var aa = ts_parseFloat(a[1].replace(/[^0-9.]/g,''));